The case of a rural Dallas County woman who was killed and robbed of $50 remains unsolved 53 years after her death.

So do at least four other cases, committed between 1931 and 2011, in the metro's western-most county. Dallas County Attorney Wayne Reisetter is hoping to change that under a new cold case initiative recently approved by the board of supervisors.

His department is committing $30,000 of investigative resources to determine if any of the county's cold cases have enough traction to be solved. There are five unsolved cases in Dallas County, according to Iowa Cold Cases, a nonprofit organization that tracks cold cases in the state.

No recent activity or new tips spurred the initiative, and no particular case has been chosen for the efforts, Reisetter said.

"This is an effort to change the dynamic in cases that have stopped producing leads and have not reached prosecutions," he said. "We would look to determine what cold cases have the best viability of renewing an investigation and in gaining some investigative leads by an additional effort."

Virgil Untied, 1931

A town marshal in Minburn, Virgil Untied was shot five times on July 23, 1931, as he responded to a call of three people robbing a grocery store. He died four days later.

According to Des Moines Register archives, the 33-year-old was shot in the street as he approached the store around 3:15 a.m. He was responding to the crime with his brother, who was also a town marshal.

Past stories indicate the thieves left toward Des Moines in a car with Polk County plate. Former Gov. Dan Turner had offered a $500 reward for information on the killers.

Myrtle Cumpston, 1965

Buy Photo

Myrtle Cumpston died March 9, 1965 in an apparent robbery.(Photo: newspapers.com/Des Moines Register)

Myrtle Cumpston, 60, was found shot in the back of the head on March 9, 1965, at C & K Aqualand, a tropical fish aquarium business.

She and a neighbor co-owned the business, located in rural Dallas County near Redfield.

Authorities listed robbery as the motive — $50 was found missing from the cash box.

According to Register archives, Cumpston was leaning over to get a ceramic figurine out of a display case when she was shot in the head. A .45-caliber gun was used.

Effie Bell, 1966

Emma Lewis was found beaten to death in her Waukee home on Sept. 13, 1976.(Photo: newspapers.com/Des Moines Register)

The skeletal remains of Effie Bell, 46, were found May 31, 1966 at the Madrid city dump. She was last seen about 2 1/2 months prior leaving her job at the McRay Cosmetics Factory in Madrid.

Her husband, Frank Bell, was charged with forgery for signing and cashing her last paycheck. He was not charged with his wife's homicide.

Emma Lewis, 1976

Emma Lewis, 80, died Sept. 13, 1976 in her Waukee home from injuries suffered in a severe beating. Lewis suffered multiple face and head wounds, causing her to drown in her own blood, according to Register archives.

Past stories indicate police had no suspects, no weapons were found and there were no signs of forcible entry. Lewis' purse was missing.

Gregg Nimmo, 2011

A passer-by found Gregg Nimmo, 44, lying facedown on a gravel road at Beaver Lake Campground in Dexter on Aug. 28, 2011. Nimmo was bleeding from head wounds, and was taken to Mercy Medical Center, where he later died.

His family previously told the Register they believe he was deliberately thrown from the bed of a truck. His sister said Nimmo's injuries and tire tracks near where he was found indicate he suffered a fatal injury before falling from the truck.